Measles possible at Kwantlen Langley campus

On Thursday, March 20, Fraser Health Authority informed Kwantlen Polytechnic University that a student attending classes at the Langley campus has a possible case of measles.

Students, faculty and staff who attended the Langley campus on March 17, 18 or 19 may have been exposed to measles.

All KPU campuses and facilities will remain open. The university wrote on its website that the administration and Fraser Health are taking this seriously.

Since the measles outbreak was declared on March 8, in low immunized areas of the eastern Fraser Valley, Fraser Health has been working diligently with schools, community groups, church groups and medical officials in the region to investigate the outbreak and institute control measures, including setting up dedicated immunization clinics and urging people to get vaccinated.

“We currently have 228 confirmed cases of measles in the Fraser East region, and largely these cases are contained within the original community where the outbreak began,” said Dr. Paul Van Buynder.

If you develop a fever, cough and rash, or other symptoms that may be measles, you should stay at home and keep away from others who may not be immune. Contact your physician, who will advise you as to whether you should seek care in-person, or phone HealthLinkBC by dialing 8-1-1.

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red and inflamed eyes (often sensitive to light). These are followed 3-7 days later by a rash, which starts first on the face and neck, and spreads to the chest, arms and legs, and lasts at least three days. You may also notice spots inside your mouth that look like small grains of sand on a red base.